Catheters or other medical devices for placement into a patient are used for many procedures. In certain procedures, precise placement of the distal tip of the device within the patient is critical. Physicians select from a variety of lengths of devices depending on the procedure to be performed and the specific patient requirements. Once the proper length device is selected, the device may be inserted into the patient and the distal tip located at the proper site. The device may include a proximal end that remains external to the patient and a portion that is subcutaneously tunneled before exiting the patient. The length of the proximal external portion of the device is also important for performing the proper procedure and for patient comfort.
For example, a patient may require a hemodialysis catheter that is typically inserted partially within the body with the distal end placed in a blood vessel and the proximal end external to the body and connectable to another device such as a dialysis unit. The hemodialysis catheter remains implanted within the patient for several treatments and avoids the need to have repeated needle insertions into the skin to gain access to the vasculature each time a dialysis procedure is initiated. The hemodialysis catheter should be of sufficient length so that the distal end of the hemodialysis catheter is properly placed within the vasculature to allow effective dialysis and allow for subcutaneous tunnel, and the proximal end(s) connectable to the treatment unit. The proximal end(s) of the hemodialysis catheter should also be of proper length to extend from the patient and have a fitting on the proximal end of the catheter accessible for connection to a treatment device, but not so long that the proximal end of the catheter gets entangled and torn away from the implantation site.
Currently, hospitals stock a large inventory of different types of catheters and other devices in various lengths so that the properly sized device is available for each individual patient and each procedure. Having such a large inventory of the devices in all different lengths adds to the expense of medical treatments and requires extensive inventory control. In addition, some devices for implantation into a patient have a limited shelf life. Depending on the frequency of procedures and the sizes required, some devices may exceed the useful shelf life before being used in a procedure. Expired devices also add to the expense of the patient care.
What are needed are a system and a method for making adjustable length devices, such as catheters, that can be implanted into the patient and adjusted to the proper length such that the devices may be universally used instead of requiring specific length devices. The adjustable length devices may be used similarly to the specific length devices in that the distal tip of the device is properly placed in the patient and the proximal end of the device may be adjusted in length to accommodate the patient needs and the specific procedure.